How the war on drugs creates violence
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How the war on drugs creates violence
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Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#2I've pretty much come down on the side of prohibition is bad. Yes hard drugs destroy lives, but many many many more are destroyed by socially acceptable drugs like alcohol and nicotine.
We live within societies where the way we control substances creates a huge social and financial cost.
We'd be better off legalising every drug and creating a social framework within which these drugs can be taxed, consumed safely, and users supported.
Case in point is the legalisation of cannabis which I hope is a stepping stone to legalisation of all recreational drugs.
Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#3Is it creating violence or exacerbating violence? I'm more inclined to choose the latter. The reason why I distinguish the two is that I see the continuation and increase in drug use as something symptomatic of other issues in the big picture.
Economic issues, politics, racism.... oppression on various fronts from the system down to the family to the self.
Drugs (and alcohol) are an escape. Normal activities also provide an escape when people get obsessed with them. TV, video games, food (my escape), exercise for some addicts, sex, etc.
Just legalize cannabis and decriminalize other drugs already.
Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#4I've pretty much come down on the side of prohibition is bad. Yes hard drugs destroy lives, but many many many more are destroyed by socially acceptable drugs like alcohol and nicotine. We live within societies where the way we control substances creates a huge social and financial cost. We'd be better off legalising every drug and creating a social framework within which these drugs can be taxed, consumed safely, an…
> users supported
This is the biggest thing, IMO. Legalising drugs isn't about getting control of distrubution and profits, it's more about changing societies view on drugs. We need to stop treating these people as addicts that need to be swept under the rug. We need to treat them as they are - human beings with a disease/illness for which they need help.
How can they turn to us for help if we chuck them in prison for their problem and don't help them?
edit; wasn't suggesting that you didn't think this - I think the majority of people in my country (UK) don't think of addiction as an illness/disease that we need to help with. They just want to turn a blind eye...
Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#5I've pretty much come down on the side of prohibition is bad. Yes hard drugs destroy lives, but many many many more are destroyed by socially acceptable drugs like alcohol and nicotine. We live within societies where the way we control substances creates a huge social and financial cost. We'd be better off legalising every drug and creating a social framework within which these drugs can be taxed, consumed safely, an…
> users supported This is the biggest thing, IMO. Legalising drugs isn't about getting control of distrubution and profits, it's more about changing societies view on drugs. We need to stop treating these people as addicts that need to be swept under the rug. We need to treat them as they are - human beings with a disease/illness for which they need help. How can they turn to us for help if we chuck them in prison fo…
This is a very valid point. I don't see the UK government however changing their approach. Treating addiction as a disease just enables the government to vilify users. Many low-level heroin/cocaine users just lead normal lives. As do many low-level wine users.
The only way I see this changing is when it financially makes sense. Taking Colorado as a model, the UK could get in the region of £400million a year in tax benefits from the legalisation of cannabis alone.
Drug related crime is estimated to cost the country £14 billion annually.
Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#6I've pretty much come down on the side of prohibition is bad. Yes hard drugs destroy lives, but many many many more are destroyed by socially acceptable drugs like alcohol and nicotine. We live within societies where the way we control substances creates a huge social and financial cost. We'd be better off legalising every drug and creating a social framework within which these drugs can be taxed, consumed safely, an…
> users supported This is the biggest thing, IMO. Legalising drugs isn't about getting control of distrubution and profits, it's more about changing societies view on drugs. We need to stop treating these people as addicts that need to be swept under the rug. We need to treat them as they are - human beings with a disease/illness for which they need help. How can they turn to us for help if we chuck them in prison fo…
Why is it that having certain problems gives you a license to demand that everyone else help you with them?
We've all got problems, but for some reason whenever I mess up on my taxes or something, I'm to blame, but if someone else robs a liquor store when being addicted to heroin, "the needle made me do it, mumble ... mumble ..." is an acceptable excuse.
Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#7Earlier quoted context omitted.
> users supported This is the biggest thing, IMO. Legalising drugs isn't about getting control of distrubution and profits, it's more about changing societies view on drugs. We need to stop treating these people as addicts that need to be swept under the rug. We need to treat them as they are - human beings with a disease/illness for which they need help. How can they turn to us for help if we chuck them in prison fo…
Why is it that having certain problems gives you a license to demand that everyone else help you with them? We've all got problems, but for some reason whenever I mess up on my taxes or something, I'm to blame, but if someone else robs a liquor store when being addicted to heroin, "the needle made me do it, mumble ... mumble ..." is an acceptable excuse.
No one said that robbers should be punished less harshly if they have an addiction.
Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
> users supported This is the biggest thing, IMO. Legalising drugs isn't about getting control of distrubution and profits, it's more about changing societies view on drugs. We need to stop treating these people as addicts that need to be swept under the rug. We need to treat them as they are - human beings with a disease/illness for which they need help. How can they turn to us for help if we chuck them in prison fo…
Why is it that having certain problems gives you a license to demand that everyone else help you with them? We've all got problems, but for some reason whenever I mess up on my taxes or something, I'm to blame, but if someone else robs a liquor store when being addicted to heroin, "the needle made me do it, mumble ... mumble ..." is an acceptable excuse.
> is an acceptable excuse
No, it's not. Going with your flawed example: having an addiction to heroin should be a socially acceptable problem, or at least one that doesn't land an addict in prison in and of itself. Helping those amongst us who are addicted helps to prevent desperate crimes.
Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
> users supported This is the biggest thing, IMO. Legalising drugs isn't about getting control of distrubution and profits, it's more about changing societies view on drugs. We need to stop treating these people as addicts that need to be swept under the rug. We need to treat them as they are - human beings with a disease/illness for which they need help. How can they turn to us for help if we chuck them in prison fo…
Why is it that having certain problems gives you a license to demand that everyone else help you with them? We've all got problems, but for some reason whenever I mess up on my taxes or something, I'm to blame, but if someone else robs a liquor store when being addicted to heroin, "the needle made me do it, mumble ... mumble ..." is an acceptable excuse.
As an example, when the UK government tried to demonize the cost to the National Health Service of smoking related diseases (£450Million), the tobacco industry rightly pointed out that tax revenue was around the £12Billion.
Taxing drugs would more than pay for any social programme needed to support users. At the moment, general taxation is used to incarcerate users which could be better used elsewhere.
Re: How the war on drugs creates violence
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
> users supported This is the biggest thing, IMO. Legalising drugs isn't about getting control of distrubution and profits, it's more about changing societies view on drugs. We need to stop treating these people as addicts that need to be swept under the rug. We need to treat them as they are - human beings with a disease/illness for which they need help. How can they turn to us for help if we chuck them in prison fo…
Why is it that having certain problems gives you a license to demand that everyone else help you with them? We've all got problems, but for some reason whenever I mess up on my taxes or something, I'm to blame, but if someone else robs a liquor store when being addicted to heroin, "the needle made me do it, mumble ... mumble ..." is an acceptable excuse.
You've got it totally wrong. I didn't say anything like this.
In your example, you can turn to the government (or someone else) for help with your taxes. There is no stigma (or law) that makes it difficult for you. That's not the case for a drug addict. It's a lot harder to get help.
I also didn't say that addicts should not be held accountable for their actions. Of course they should.
(...unless you're tring to evade tax...)